If you asked Duxbury High School to pick a favorite letter, there is no doubt that it would be “T.” Mr. Tatarka, or “T” as the students call him, is practically famous throughout the halls. My high school had a strong music program that encompassed approximately half of the student body and Mr. T was my orchestra conductor throughout all four years. Although gossip, rumors, and bitter attitudes practically breed in the walls of schools, I have never heard a negative word said about Mr. T.
My orchestra accomplished more than I ever thought possible and Mr. T was the leader throughout it all. He had a special ability to relate to the students on a personal level, while still remaining professional. Not only was he an orchestra conductor, the leader of three leveled high school orchestras, but his amazing personality and sense of humor frequently turned him into a therapist, a role model, and always a friend. Mr. T. made an effort to motivate us to be better and he made us believe that we had potential to succeed. He had a saying where would tell everyone to raise their hand as high as possible. When all hands were raised, he would say “Now raise your hands two inches higher.” Although the hands were already supposed to be at maximum height, sure enough, all hands elevated higher. Everyone always tells you to push yourself to be better than good and to reach the level of great but Mr. T truly helped to change our mindsets to achieve those goals.
I feel inspired by Mr. T because he taught us to motivate ourselves and to share our talents with others. He helped teach us to love music. I will never forget the memories my class made together when we performed in Disney World, Strathmore Hall in Washington D.C., and Carnegie Hall in New York City. When you have the luxury to learn in a supportive environment, there is no limit to what you can achieve. Mr. T created a one-of-a-kind classroom that was noticed and appreciated by all of his students. He used his teaching position to truly teach instead of only going through the motions of a classroom. He taught us how to achieve our goals while maintaining a positive outlook on life and my high school experience would not be the same without his presence.
If you asked Duxbury High School to pick a favorite letter, there is no doubt that it would be “T.” Mr. Tatarka, or “T” as the students call him, is practically famous throughout the halls. My high school had a strong music program that encompassed approximately half of the student body and Mr. T was my orchestra conductor throughout all four years. Although gossip, rumors, and bitter attitudes practically breed in the walls of schools, I have never heard a negative word said about Mr. T.
My orchestra accomplished more than I ever thought possible and Mr. T was the leader throughout it all. He had a special ability to relate to the students on a personal level, while still remaining professional. Not only was he an orchestra conductor, the leader of three leveled high school orchestras, but his amazing personality and sense of humor frequently turned him into a therapist, a role model, and always a friend. Mr. T. made an effort to motivate us to be better and he made us believe that we had potential to succeed. He had a saying where would tell everyone to raise their hand as high as possible. When all hands were raised, he would say “Now raise your hands two inches higher.” Although the hands were already supposed to be at maximum height, sure enough, all hands elevated higher. Everyone always tells you to push yourself to be better than good and to reach the level of great but Mr. T truly helped to change our mindsets to achieve those goals.
I feel inspired by Mr. T because he taught us to motivate ourselves and to share our talents with others. He helped teach us to love music. I will never forget the memories my class made together when we performed in Disney World, Strathmore Hall in Washington D.C., and Carnegie Hall in New York City. When you have the luxury to learn in a supportive environment, there is no limit to what you can achieve. Mr. T created a one-of-a-kind classroom that was noticed and appreciated by all of his students. He used his teaching position to truly teach instead of only going through the motions of a classroom. He taught us how to achieve our goals while maintaining a positive outlook on life and my high school experience would not be the same without his presence.